


Moonlight Admission

by Box15



Series: The Snailmate AU [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: HPA AU, I hope you see the inspiration I did!, I just saw an aesthetic so good, M/M, Non Despair AU, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, it's better safe than sorry!, like family members, only mild things are mentioned, so pure, so- no spoilers for things that really matter, some fluff for the soul, that I had to make a fic out of it, there are mentions of things related to spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-26 23:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12568840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Box15/pseuds/Box15
Summary: Kaito confesses to Saihara the only way he knows how- under the serene light of the moon.





	Moonlight Admission

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hidamaris_Rhodonite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hidamaris_Rhodonite/gifts).



> This fic is based off my big sis Hidamaris_Rhodonite's amazing Saimota aesthetic !!! So a huuuuuge thanks to her for the inspiration of this fic- without you this simply wouldn’t exist :3 
> 
> This fic: takes place in the Snailmate universe, and before the events of Home Comforts. That being said, this is a standalone story. With thanks to please_give_me_that_pen_back for proofreading! Where would I be without you? ; v ;

Some people can spend years with another before realising they harbour feelings for them. It might then take them weeks, months, a lifetime to go about admitting it. 

But not Kaito. Kaito is nothing if not impatient. On the fast track to space and -with any luck- his crush’s heart, too. He’s been friends with Saihara for almost an entire school year now, and honestly he’s surprised himself that it’s taken this long for him to realise this. 

Not being required to go to lessons, or even be on campus, students of Hope’s Peak are free to pursue their talents. So the two had met through induction at the start of the year, during a quick class icebreaker. Saihara was incredibly shy, but Kaede had been sure to help him introduce himself to everyone. Even if they didn’t see each other a lot, it was important to be on good terms with those in your class, she thought. 

So, he was introduced to Kaito. Something about the pair had just... stuck. Their wildly different personalities supported each other nicely, and the two didn’t look back. The real kicker was that they bothered to attend classes, and attended them together. As part of his astronaut related studies, Kaito went to science, maths, computer science, languages and personal/social development. Saihara would join him for most these, hoping the knowledge would help his detective work down the line. 

The two also made frequented the academy’s pool. Kaito used it to train, emulating spacewalks. If it was quiet, Saihara would join him, albeit to swim lengths rather than dive. It was exercise that they could do together, but not get too stressed or worked up over it. After a long day, swimming helped both to relax. So through shared classes and meet ups outside of school, the two had gone from new to best friends in a short amount of time.

Others might choose to sit on their feelings, waiting to see if they stand the test of time. But Kaito is a man of the here and now. He has confidence, faith in his emotions to know that he really wants this. 

If Saihara chooses to wait longer before deciding to date, that’s fine by him. But the suspense of hearing the answer to an unasked question is killing him slowly. He’s always done and taken things exactly when he wants to. Who has time to wait for a degree to chase his dream, or to start smoking at the right age? Having now to wait, to ask for something was new to him. 

Something else that was new to Kaito was having a trans friend and by extension, crush. This wasn’t something that he was bothered by now, but it had certainly shocked him at first. Not in a bad sense, he just hadn’t expected it. In the past he’d only had a few LGBT friends, and none of them had been trans. Well, maybe they had. Truthfully, he’d been so obsessed with his studies in the pursuit of his dream that often his friends went neglected. Only the best, most dedicated friends stuck by his side. Being taken on by Hope’s Peak had forced him to start all over again. At the same time, he’d finally been given the opportunity to study and properly socialise at the same time. So when meeting Saihara he hadn’t even stopped to consider the possibility. This was just a new experience. 

In all honesty, Kaito had only found out by accident. The two had been chilling out in Saihara’s room. Hanging out together like they did most weekends. Saihara went to the toilet and Kaito had been just been a little too nosy whilst he waited. Absentmindedly looking around whilst waiting wasn’t abnormal- finding testosterone patches and a binder was. 

Chilling ditched, the two had a long conversation that afternoon. Kaito had spent his entire life cramming his head full of necessary knowledge for an astronaut. Educating himself on these kinds of matters just had never been on his radar. So whilst he had a vague idea, no one else had ever taught him this before. Saihara had helped him to understand the concept fully, allowing him to ask some awkward but well meant questions. In return, Saihara was also allowed to ask anything he wanted of Kaito. In all, they had around 3 months of careful bonding in just one afternoon. 

But Saihara had helped to teach Kaito about himself, too. For years he’d been certain that he wasn’t gay. He’d liked girls in his previous school! But being with Saihara now had confirmed a long running suspicion. He’s bi. And for that realisation alone, he’s forever thankful. That’s not even counting the sheer joy he gets from their bond and closeness, and all the good times they’ve had together. 

Just think, if human life alone was this diverse then can you just imagine how space is? It wouldn’t matter if Saihara was a man, woman, robot or anything outside or in between those lines. He’s in love. 

Steadily, the desire to show the detective physical affection was becoming stronger than he is. Strong enough to verge breaking the boundaries of a normal friendship. The last thing he wants is to be a creep; he has to know now if he has even a slither of a chance. 

In the past, he’s had plenty of meaningless flings. Just getting out there to test the waters. Another experiment between cramming sessions to give his mind something else to think about, to help him relax. Never has he wanted to get a relationship right like this. Yet like many things at Hope’s Peak, Kaito has a lot to learn in the ways of romance. Where was he even supposed to start? 

If he started trying too hard with wooing and confessing, Saihara would definitely pick up on that. Over the years he’d been through many astronaut screenings and personality tests. So he’s well aware that anyone and their Corgi could see through him trying to put on a show. No, what they saw in him, what Saihara saw in him was all natural. A scripted Kaito wasn’t really Kaito at all. This was a declaration of love, not a performance. 

...But that didn’t mean to say he couldn’t try and make an effort, at least.

Friday night. They’d arranged to meet up for late night training as per usual. Ouma has a tendency to be hours late, whilst Kiibo is always early. But Saihara is always on time, or near enough, knocking on Kaito’s door at 8PM sharp. Considering the amount of time Saihara puts into looking, feeling good at Hope’s Peak, it’s always nice to see him dressed casually.

Having ditched the binder for what he thought was their session, he turned up in a loose white shirt and black jeans. He carried a small backpack, containing only a phone, a spare shirt and some deodorant- for if they got too sweaty. A light grey hoodie was neatly folded up under his arm. So, maybe he should’ve told Saihara about the change of plan. But a surprise was a surprise, and at least he’d brought something warm with him. 

Kaito was taking them on a stroll. 

Hearing the new plan, Saihara was understandably confused, but he went along with it all the same. He’d never really been out at night like this before, afraid of who else might be out there. Being with Kaito turned it into a whole new matter. He felt safe in the others company, and was rather excited to see how different the world looked. 

Excited, if a little confused, the two set off for a night time stroll. Doing push-ups in the park beside Hope’s Peak was fun, but it wasn’t romantic. So he’d had the idea to go for a walk instead. Just going out and walking good for both the mind and body. It helps to relieve stress, work off excess energy and gets you to focus on other things. A relaxing stroll might be good for the both of them. 

Once they’re suitably unwound - or Kaito has fought of his nerves - he can take Saihara somewhere quietly romantic and ask the question. 

A destination in mind, Kaito deliberately took the scenic route as they walked. Just this once, there was all the time in the world. Time limits, obstacles didn’t exist tonight. Keeping a leisurely pace, the conversation was equally light. Upcoming events, pets, a film coming out that they’d both like to see. Talking like this, the two soon lost track of just how far they’d walked, but neither felt the fatigue. Soon enough, they’d come to the base of a hill, and were now starting to scale it. 

Kaito’s parents live far off from Hope’s Peak, on one Japan’s southwest islands. The observatory found there fueled his passion beyond words. Goal and stars in sight, in reach, Kaito had thrown himself into his studies. There was nothing more motivating than having it so close, yet so far. This had led him to a lot of time in isolation, learning all that he could on his own. Had it helped him in the long run? Well, there was still a long way to go. But after faking documents, the knowledge gained had at least helped to get him through the door. 

Since getting accepted into Hope’s Peak, he had moved in land for the first time. One set of grandparents lived in the next town over to the school, allowing him to commute. Living with them now had given him the opportunity to grow closer to his own family, not just his goals. For the chance, the love, to go for this. For that, through that, his love of his family was equal to only that of space itself. 

Travelling via a bus service, the station for which was located at the top of a hill on the outskirts of town. As most routes travelled out of the area, this enabled them to avoid traffic that ran through the centre. Walking so far had done wonders for his physical fitness, too. 

So every day he’d come by this spot, each time the idea strengthening in his head. Now that it was really happening, it felt a lot different 

“We’ve come a long way tonight, fancy a pit stop?” 

They’d reached the hilltop. From here, a small park and a road or two of houses separated them from the bus station. A road ran along the edge of the hill. On one side, the park, which carried on both further in land and down the side of the incline. On the other, a small strip of grass, followed by banisters. This strip of grass was home to a few benches, creating a viewing point. 

The two took to the central most bench. With nothing to break the wind, the air was certainly chillier at this height. Without thinking, both Kaito and Saihara scooted closer to one another. Trying to preserve warmth whilst maintaining distance. Saihara couldn’t decide between putting on his hoodie or just to continue staring. 

The view from the top was a spectacle. At this height, the entire town could be seen from this point. A sea of lights made up the navy black pool before them, flickering like festival lanterns. Stepping away, a cloud revealed the moon. Illuminating the world, her own light joining those below her. Stars surrounded her, an entourage of wellwishers. 

But even her light paled in comparison to Saihara’s visage. Mouth agape and eyes widening, he was taken in by the sight. Kaito found the strength to pull his gaze away and instead cast it over the town below. Staring out, his gaze softened. He Placed his question gently on the surface of the water, soft voice carrying it across, not daring to create a single ripple. 

“Shuichi Saihara; will you… be my boyfriend?” 

A small smile crept over Saihara’s face as he continued to look out. Minutes passed, taking his time to absorb the world, the message, the atmosphere. None of this seemed real. Boyfriend… just hearing that word made his heart soar. Someone really wanted him as their boyfriend? Kaito did? Hearing that Kaito had feelings for other men, had feelings for him was perhaps the best news he’d ever received. 

How did this ever happen to someone like him? Flaws, faults, damage and all. He had been lucky enough to meet the person who would love him despite… no, would embrace all of him. Love him for who he was. Feeling of love coursing through him- it was a lot to live up to. It took someone special to make him feel this flustered, this special. But he would have a lifetime with Kaito to love and be loved in return. 

Turning his head slightly, Saihara gazed into Kaito’s eyes. It was the first time Saihara had ever seen him this concerned. In the light of the moon, their hearts had been exposed. Gingerly, a hand was placed over another. 

“Nothing in this universe would make me happier than to be by your side.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reaching the end! 
> 
> Out of interest- The island Kaito's family hail from is (at least based on) Ishigaki. This is also my first V3 fic without Ouma in it. I think that says a lot... 
> 
> (One day I will have to think of a proper name for the Snailmate au, huh.)


End file.
